Cross River: Ayade’s trips abroad worry lawmakers

Lawmakers in the Cross River State House of Assembly have expressed dismay over incessant overseas trips by the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade.

An official of the assembly, who pleaded not to be named, said the governor had been out of the country for nearly two months, and had not transmitted power to his deputy, Prof. Evara Esu.

He said many of his colleagues were now worried and would soon invoke relevant sections of the law to, as a way of frowning at his frequent absence and non-transfer of power, call the governor to order.

Since he assumed office as governor of the state, Ayade has travelled abroad several times, a situation which has seriously stalled government activities as civil servants no longer go to work as expected, observers said.

Reacting to the lawmakers’ position, a lawyer, Ogar Ndoma Egodo, said the governor’s long absence from the state showed that the state legislature was weak, adding that the governor ought to have transmitted a letter to the state house of assembly authorising his deputy to take charge of the affairs of the state.

Vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the central senatorial district of the state, Cletus Obun, said “We have not seen the benefits of his frequent overseas trips. If he is talking about investment, we have not seen any yet. Ayade should settle and work for the people,” he said.

But the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Ntufam John Okon, said Ayade’s frequent overseas trips were for the good of the state.